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The pulp and paper industry is critical to global industrial and economic development. Recently, India's pulp and paper industries have been facing severe competitive challenges. The challenges have impaired the environmental performance and resulted in the closure of several operations. Assessment and prediction of the performance of the Indian pulp and paper industry using various parameters is a critical task for researchers. This study proposes a framework for performance assessment and prediction based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Artificial Neural Networks, and Deep Learning (DL) to assist industry administration and decision-making. We presented a case study based on eight industries to demonstrate the methodology's applicability. This study analyses and predicts industry performance based on sample data observations over 30 years. The result suggests the DEA-DL-based efficiency prediction has an overall MSE of 0.08 compared with the actual efficiency. Furthermore, the efficiency rankings are compared between the three techniques. The results suggest that the integrated DEA-DL method is primarily accurate in most scenarios with the actual values. The findings of this study provide a comprehensive analysis of environmental performance for policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper industries using different raw materials such as hard wood, bamboo, baggase, rice-straw and waste papers and bleaching chemicals like chlorine, hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide, sulphite and oxygen were studied to estimate organic pollution load and Adsorbable Organic Halides (AOX) per ton of production. The hard wood based paper industries generate higher Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) loads (105–182 kg t−1) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) loads (32.0–72 kg t−1) compared to the agro and waste paper based industrial effluents. The bleaching sequences such as C–EP–H–H, C–E–H–H, C–E–Do–D1 and O–Do–EOP–D1 are adopted in the paper industries and the molecular elemental chlorine free bleaching sequence discharges low AOX in the effluent. The range of AOX concentration in the final effluent from the paper industries was 0.08–0.99 kg t−1 of production. Water consumption was in the range of 100–130 m3 t−1 of paper production for wood based industries and 30–50 m3 for the waste paper based industries. Paper machine effluents are partially recycled after treatment and pulp mill black liquor are subject to chemical recovery after evaporation to reduce the water consumption and the total pollution loads. Hypochlorite bleaching units of textile bleaching processes generate more AOX (17.2–18.3 mg l−1) and are consuming more water (45–80 l kg−1) whereas alkali peroxide bleaching hardly generates the AOX in the effluents and water consumption was also comparatively less (40 l kg−1 of yarn/cloth). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation aims to assess the phytoremediation potential of six aquatic macrophytes, viz. Eichhornia crassipes, Hydrilla verticillata, Jussiaea repens, Lemna minor, Pistia stratiotes and Trapa natans grown in paper mill effluent of JK Paper mill of Rayagada, Orissa, for remediation of heavy metals. The experiment was designed in pot culture experiments. Assessment of physico-chemical parameters of paper mill effluent showed significant decrease in pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, chlorine, sulphur, biological and chemical oxygen demand after growth of macrophytes for 20 days. Phytoremediation ability of these aquatic macrophytic species for copper (Cu) and mercury (Hg) was indicated by assessing the decrease in the levels of heavy metals from effluent water. Maximum reduction (66.5 %) in Hg content of untreated paper mill effluent was observed using L. minor followed by T. natans (64.8 %). L. minor showed highest reduction (71.4 %) of Cu content from effluent water followed by E. crassipes (63.6 %). Phytoextraction potential of L. minor was remarkable for Hg and Cu, and bioaccumulation was evident from bioconcentration factor values, i.e. 0.59 and 0.70, respectively. The present phytoremediation approach was considered more effective than conventional chemical treatment method for removing toxic contaminants from paper mill effluent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, survival of children with chronic diseases has significantly improved and a large proportion of them now are entering into adulthood. Transition of Care (ToC) of such patients with having childhood onset of chronic diseases to the adult health care system is well organized in developed countries, although it is an emerging concept in India. In situations where the systems for ToC are not in place, such cases are fraught with unsatisfactory health outcomes. With proper ToC in place, these patients are likely to receive uninterrupted care by the adult care physicians and hence reach their full potential. This document highlights the need, rationale and way forward for ToC of youth with special health care needs (YSHCN) across the country. It also describes the standard operating procedures to develop the ToC at a hospital level for clinicians and administrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulp and paper mills generate varieties of pollutants depending upon type of the pulping process being used. This paper presents the characteristics of wastewater from South India Paper Mill, Karnataka, India which is using recycled waste paper as a raw material. The raw wastewater consists of 80-90 mg L suspended solid and 1,010-1,015 mg L dissolved solid. However, pH varied from 5.5-6.8. The biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand ranged from 200-210 and 1,120-1,160 mg L, respectively. Aerobic treatment of raw effluent attribute to significant reduction in suspended solid (range between 25 to 30 mg L) and total dissolved solid (range between 360 to 390 mg L). However, pH, temperature, and electrical conductivity were found superior after treatment. Copper, cadmium, iron, lead, nickel, and zinc were found in less quantity in raw effluent and were almost completely removed after treatment. The dendrogram of the effluent quality parameters clearly indicate that South India Paper Mill does not meet Minimal National Standard set by central Pollution Control Board to discharge in agricultural field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out for the treatment of effluent from the chlorination and extraction stages of a bleach plant at an Indian pulp and paper mill. The effluents were taken from an integrated paper mill employing OCEHH sequence for the bleaching of hardwood pulp. Effluent was treated via ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO). Thin film composite spiral-wound modules, having cross flow membranes composed of polysulfone and polyamide, were used in the study. Three initial inlet pressures were used for the UF and NF; 6.8, 10.3, and 13.7 bar. For RO initial inlet pressures of 10.3 bar, 13.7 bar and 17.2 bar, were taken in different trials. The retentate from each experiment was recycled back to the feed and retreated until the inlet pressure increased to the maximum cut-of pressure for each membrane. The UF permeate was fed to the NF, which was subsequently fed to the RO. Variations in the trans-membrane pressure and permeate flux were assessed. The removal of pollutants and fouling indices were obtained for each membrane at each initial inlet pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood development (ECD) refers to the physical, motor, socio-emotional, cognitive, and linguistic development of a young child. The 'Countdown to 2030' global distribution of 'children at risk of poor development' indicates the need for urgent action and investment in ECD. Nurturing care enhances ECD, even in the presence of adversities. Strategic actions should exist at multiple levels: the family, community, health care providers and government. Previously, child health related policies and programs of the Government of India functioned in isolation, but have recently started demonstrating multi-sectoral collaboration. Nonetheless, the status of ECD in India is far from optimal. There is strong evidence that parenting programs improve outcomes related to ECD. This is dependent on key programmatic areas (timing, duration, frequency, intensity, modality, content, etc.), in addition to political will, funding, partnership, and plans for scaling up. Each country must implement its unique ECD program that is need-based and customized to their stakeholder community. Barriers like inadequate sensitization of the community and low competency of health care providers need to be overcome. IAP firmly believes that responsive parenting interventions revolving around nurturing care should be incorporated in office practice. This paper outlines IAP's position on ECD, and its recommendations for pediatricians and policy makers. It also presents the roadmap in partnership with other stakeholders in maternal, neonatal, and child health; Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), National Neonatology Forum (NNF), World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical research is challenging when studying informal spaces like urban slums, where extant scholarship is limited, government data are sparse or absent, and populations change rapidly due to eviction, environmental shocks, and the everyday churn of migration. Moreover, written materials and political ephemera generated within slums are rarely preserved in accessible state archives, limiting the usefulness of conventional archival research. In such contexts, the discovery of informal archives—unmapped, non-systematized collections of materials kept by individuals and groups in the spaces under study—can contribute to the reconstruction of local histories. This article draws on 20 months of fieldwork in India’s urban slums to offer insights on the collection and use of informal archival materials. These materials afford an intimate look at how the urban poor organize and make claims on the state. Their analysis, however, involves inferential challenges. Researchers must consider how processes of production, preservation, and provision shape the content of gathered historical materials and thus the inferences that can be drawn from them. Beyond urban slums, informal archives are likely to be useful sources of historical data for a range of studies in comparative politics, especially those that focus on informal institutions and local quotidian politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial sector is the largest user of energy in India and many parts of the world. More than half of the total energy is used in industries to operate various energy-using machineries. Energy conservation is a cost-effective approach in any energy optimization program that can be implemented in industrial activities. Energy-intensive industries in developing economies offer significant energy-saving potential owing to the technology gap as well as lower operating efficiency. A detailed energy flow analysis was conducted in a paper carton manufacturing unit in India to quantify the energy-saving potential. The study revealed that the compressed air leakage is responsible for about 50% of the total energy loss. The specific electrical and thermal energy consumption was estimated and found to be 91.85 kWh/ton and 1,619 MJ/ton of biomass, respectively. Annual energy saving potential was found to be 5.9% of the total annual energy consumption. The cost of DG power is found to be 389% higher than the grid power. The share of self-generated DG power is estimated to be 41% of the total power consumed. Electrical energy intensity of the plant could be reduced by 6.36% implementing energy conservation measures proposed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the work of two Indian sociologists who defined the contours of sociology in India in the immediate post-independence decades, M. N. Srinivas and A. R. Desai. It argues that their scholarship can be linked to sociology's legacy as anthropology in India and its embeddedness in the episteme of colonial modernity. It contends that Srinivas's methodology, the field view, attempted to make a break with earlier methods, such as book view. However, his three concepts, that of dominant caste, Sanskritization and Westernization were perceived as civilizational attributes and which had organized social change in India. A. R. Desai, a Marxist historical sociologist, made an incisive critique of capitalist exploitation and elaborated the material conditions that led to peasant and working-class revolts. However, his sociology could not unravel the caste-class linkages that organized the Indian 'social' which was embedded in Indian nationalism. This paper suggests that a definitive understanding of modernity emerges in Indian sociology in the late 70s when the feminist, dalit and tribal movements interrogated the material basis of contemporary India's developmentalism and its capitalist and exploitative character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the backdrop of rapid and continuous deterioration in the quality of air, water and land, pollution prevention strategies have become a critical business issue to the industrial sector throughout the world. The present study aims to explore pollution prevention initiatives and their actual implementation across five different polluting industries from a large developing country's perspective. Ten sample plants (two from each industry group) were chosen from five different polluting industry groups (iron and steel, cement, pulp and paper, leather and pharmaceuticals) of a large developing economy like India. This study reveals that environmental concerns have increasingly spread among the selected polluting industries. Addressing pollution prevention practices into their business functions these industries have become more responsive to modify production process and improve the quality of the environment. However, there is a huge potential to improve it further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article related to ranking of India's top institutions on the basis of number of research papers in the Scopus citation database over the past five years in a 2015 issue.

While promoting manufacturing growth is imperative to boost economic growth, potential adverse consequences on natural resources and ecology have created sustainability-related concerns and challenges. In India, with the reform processes deepening further and the business environment becoming more market-oriented over the years, the adoption of appropriate measures for sustainable manufacturing growth under such conditions would require a deeper investigation of the underlying dynamics, particularly to address the impacts of external shocks. This is especially true when external shocks alter market dynamics and, hence, input is used significantly in the manufacturing sector. Given this backdrop, the present paper examines how the major external shocks to the Indian economy during in the post-reform era have altered the resource use patterns in selected manufacturing industries. The paper uses secondary data collected from the KLEMS database of the Reserve Bank of India for the period from 1980–81 to 2019–20 and applies descriptive statistics and econometric techniques to address the research objective. It is found that energy intensity, vertical integration, capital intensity, and rate of growth of total factor productivity decreased over the decades, whereas labour productivity experienced an increasing trend in most industries. However, the trends are mixed in the case of material intensity. Further, the regression results indicate significant effects of external shocks on resource use, factor productivity, and structural changes. There are also industry-specific differences in the nature and extent of such changes. Hence, a deeper investigation of the underlying factors and impacts at a disaggregate industry level is necessary to draw more robust insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technical progress has a tremendous potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by reducing energy consumption, a major concern across production units. However, the existing empirical literature concerning technical efficiency and carbon intensity is scanty. Thus, this paper examines the relationship between technical efficiency and carbon intensity for the organized manufacturing sector of two states, Maharashtra and Odisha, and the all-India level from 2001 to 2018. The paper uses data envelopment analysis to estimate technical efficiency scores. It applies the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Tier 1 methodology for estimating carbon intensity for each 3-digit manufacturing industry in all three sample cases. The study has used static panel regression and fractional logit regression techniques to examine the deterministic relationship between technical efficiency and carbon intensity. The result shows that technical efficiency is highly sensitive to carbon intensity in the Indian manufacturing industries. The findings also addressed that the size of the industries also reduces the technical performance of manufacturing units. This paper also confirmed that increased profit could boost the Indian manufacturing industries' technical efficiency. Thus, this study addresses that carbon intensity as a proxy for the manufacturing sector's potential to affect climate change plays a crucial role in explaining the technical efficiency variations across industries. Thus, it calls for better policies aimed at reducing the emissions of industries specifically to achieve sustainable growth for the Indian manufacturing sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child malnutrition remains a pervasive problem in India though there are significant improvements in several health indicators with country's consistent economic growth. Along with other factors, maternal autonomy is considered to be critical in influencing health outcome of a child. This paper attempts to examine the determinants of nutritional measures of children under age five with the focus to the role of mother's autonomy in India. There are studies which link characteristics of mother, like education, age, with nutrition of her children. But maternal autonomy is a complex subject as this variable is not tangible. Women's autonomy in daily life is more likely to result in their better healthcare which in turn influences children's birth weight and infant nutrition. We used nationally representative India Human Development Survey 2004–05 (IHDS- 1) and 2011–12 (IHDS 2) data for the analysis. This paper studies the association between maternal autonomy and childhood stunting, the indicator of chronic malnutrition, and the risk of having a stunted child. We have also used the panel data using both waves of IHDS and used mothers fixed effect model to evaluate the impact of maternal autonomy. The autonomy index is created using four dimensions-women's decision making, freedom of movement, financial autonomy and attitude toward domestic violence. The two dimensions of autonomy—physical autonomy, financial autonomy—remain significant determinants for childhood stunting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian securities markets have undergone significant transformations in the recent past. The paper discusses and documents initiatives taken by the market regulator to expand and deepen the securities markets, including encouraging innovations in financial instruments, improving market efficiency by appropriate and timely regulatory interventions, expanding issuers' base and investors' participation for inclusive growth, ensuring regulatory compliance for fair play of market forces. The study helps investors, intermediaries, and regulators outside India to gain insights into recent developments and opportunities they offer to make the Indian securities market their preferred investment destination. The study concludes with the papers' key findings on "Investor interest and innovative instruments" in the special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Citations are an important measure of the quality and content of scientific communications. Since no study regarding the most cited articles in surgical literature from India exists, this article aims to identify these top cited articles. Materials and Methods: The 100 most frequently cited articles in surgery that originated from India were identified using the database of Scopus using a three pronged search. Results: The top 100 most cited articles were tabulated in descending order as Table 1. The most cited article received 196 citations, whereas the 100th received 20. The majority of the articles were published in the decade 1991 to 2000, with 39 institutions authoring these 'landmark' articles. Conclusions: When compared to other published 'citation classics', the Indian scenario has lot of scope for improvement. A definite conscious effort is required on the part of the Indian surgical fraternity to improve the citation value of our research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of India's Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019, focusing on its origins, objectives, and far-reaching consequences, particularly concerning its alignment with the constitutional principles of secularism and equality. The CAA facilitates the acquisition of Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, explicitly excluding Muslims. This has sparked national and international debate over its potential to undermine the secular fabric of the Indian Constitution, particularly concerning Article 14, which guarantees equality before the law. Through a legal and constitutional lens, the paper critically examines the broader implications of the CAA on religious minorities, its intersection with the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and concerns about statelessness. Drawing on scholarly critiques, it explores the Act's impact on India's inclusive identity, the potential marginalization of minority communities, and the socio-political challenges posed by its implementation. The paper advocates for re-evaluating citizenship laws to align with India's democratic principles, ensuring social cohesion and protection of human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the historical context and current dynamics of the transboundary water issues between India and China. Both countries share multiple transboundary river basins, with the Brahmaputra River being one of the most significant. The importance of the Brahmaputra River to both nations goes beyond just providing resources. It has implications for national security, regional stability, and human livelihoods. However, China's upstream control over the river and its extensive dam-building projects have raised concerns in downstream India and Bangladesh about potential impacts on water availability, agriculture, and livelihoods. The river system is critical for the socioeconomic well-being of millions of people, yet the competing demands for water resources have led to geopolitical tensions. The paper highlights China's strategic use of water resources, including plans for large-scale dams, which India views as a potential threat to its water security. It also underscores the importance of a nuanced understanding of hydropolitics, emphasizing the need for human security, particularly water security, in addressing these challenges. It argues that while "water wars" are unlikely, "water tensions" are significant and must be addressed through comprehensive bilateral agreements and collaborative efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IRNSS/NavIC is an independent navigation system developed by India. The dependence on external satellite-based navigation systems is gradually decreasing as a result of the deployment of our own navigation system, IRNSS/NavIC, which exhibits enhanced reliability. In this paper, a software-based IRNSS/NavIC receiver is developed using the standard Signal-In-Space Interface Control Document as a reference for signal structure, subframe patterns and parameter calculations. The IRNSS/NavIC receiver is validated with the I/Q data file as input which is generated by software based IRNSS/NavIC simulator. Analysis of the effect of a specific error on receiver output position necessitates repeated trials and modification, or in some cases, the development of new algorithms. The intermediate stage data can be viewed or stored as needed; a few examples are provided. In this paper Squared Correlators Code Discriminator (SCCD), a new multipath mitigation method has been designed and developed for IRNSS/NavIC receiver. The SCCD method is derived from Strobe Correlator (SC) and Combination of squared correlator method (CSC). The pseudorange bias is investigated and eliminated from the SCCD approach. The performance parameters of the IRNSS/NavIC receiver using each of the four approaches are compared, and the outcomes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forecasting of load is essential for operating power systems. India recently witnessed one of the worst power crisis with the highest ever power demand of 207 GW on April 29, 2022. The demand in the month of May and June 2022 was estimated to reach 215 GW. The peak demand this year 2023, according to the electricity ministry, is predicted to be around 230 GW from April to June. The inability to meet certain fundamental issues as power can take a toll on any country's economy. Proper prediction helps in proper decision making and planning. The main objective of this paper is to predict day ahead electrical load demand for Assam. Statistical and Machine Learning Algorithms has been studied. The study has been carried out using real-time data for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018. The paper presents a detailed analysis of the different hyper parameters of the deep learning models and their effect is seen on the learning efficiency. A novel stacked forecasting model is proposed using neural networks as base learners and CatBoost as the meta-learner. The performance of the proposed model has been evaluated and compared with individual models in terms of training time and accuracy using different error metrics namely MAE, MSE, RMSE, MAPE and R2 score. A comparison of the proposed prediction model with the prediction models available in literature has been presented. The conclusion states that both the statistical and machine learning algorithms used in this study act as useful tools for daily load forecasting with considerable accuracy; yet machine learning algorithm outperforms the statistical methods. The entire work has been done in Google Colaboratory using Python as the programming language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in India is steadily deteriorating, leading to a rise in the mortality rate due to Lung Cancer. This decline in air quality can be attributed to various factors such as PM 2.5, PM 10, and Ozone (O3). To establish a relationship between AQI and Lung Cancer, several predictive models including Linear Regression, KNN, Decision Tree, ANN, Random Forest Regression, and XGBoost Regression were employed to estimate pollutant levels and Air Quality Index in India. The models relied on publicly available state-wise Air Pollution Dataset. Among all the models, the XGBoost Regression displayed the highest accuracy, with pollutant level estimations reaching an accuracy range of 81% to 98% during training and testing. The second-highest accuracy range was achieved by Random Forest. The paper also explores the impact of increasing pollution levels on the rising mortality rate among lung cancer patients in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INDIAN PEDIATRICS 190 VOLUME 58 FEBRUARY 15, 2021 C C C C C O O O O O R R R R R R R R R R E E E E E S S S S S P P P P P O O O O O N N N N N D D D D D E E E E E N N N N N C C C C C E E E E E Position Paper on Kawasaki Disease in India: Pertinent Issues We read with interest the recently published IAP position paper on Kawasaki disease (KD) [1]. The definition of recurrent KD would essentially mean a recurrence after documented remission of the first episode of KD (clinically, echocardiography and laboratory). This condition has clinical features which overlap with other inflammatory diseases in childhood like Kawasaki disease (KD) and toxic shock syndrome (TSS) [2]. Recurrent KD is defined as a repeat episode of KD after complete resolution of the first episode [1,2]. [Extracted from the article]

Sustainable development is essential for the survival of the planet. The massive increase in GHG emissions due to human activities has put the world in unrest. The Indian construction industry is emerging and evolving at a rapid rate and has understood the grave situation, and for saving the environment has come up with innovative solutions for developing green buildings or sustainable construction. In this paper, the two different (the GRIHA Rating System and the IGBC Green New Building Rating System) of India were studied. The sample size was 40 construction professionals working on green building projects. An interview schedule was used for data collection. The data was subjected to a suitable analysis and the AHP method was applied. Based on the research findings, strategies to go green has been suggested for the IGBC and GRIHA rating system which may serve as a ready reckoner for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of the construction management process. Therefore, keeping in mind the above view this research paper "Review of Indian Green Building Rating Systems by Using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) on Various Parameters" becomes indispensable. Hence, this research study can be considered an effort to empower construction professionals to create an extensive analysis of green building concepts and develop sustainably in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All over the world, waste and its disposal are becoming a more prominent issue, as landfills swell up and growing evidence points to its contribution to climate change and environmental degradation. In the developing world, waste pickers sort through solid waste and sell it to vendors, who will recycle the product into something consumable. The work they do is vital to climate change mitigation, as well as urban cleanliness. In a way, waste pickers, especially in India, are vehicles of environmental justice, but they are often discriminated against and subjected to inhumane working conditions. In this environment, the pandemic hit, making waste pickers' already precarious life even worse. This paper attempts to fill the gap in the academic literature by compiling a systemized literature review of the impacts of COVID-19 on waste-pickers' lives using an environmental justice perspective. The review also uses a Feminist Political Ecology perspective to illuminate the double jeopardy that female waste pickers face in the era of COVID-19, which academia often ignores. Ultimately, this paper shows that COVID-19 exacerbated the preexisting injustices that the waste picker community face and created an immense burden on women. This paper will show that it is important to notice the differentiation between female and male waste picker challenges, especially at the crux of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper has important policy implications as well as research considerations for both environmental justice and feminist political ecology scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scholarship and discussion on urbanization and urbanism are restricted to the exploration of a few metropolitans and global cities. In this way, especially in India, several cities and towns do not fit into the understanding of knowledge produced from metropolitan or large cities. Taking the case of Dharamshala a small town in the Western Himalayas, this paper discusses how debate and conceptualization of urban processes, level of urbanization and scale of economies bypass thousands of small towns not only in India but across the global South. The paper draws attention to the categorization of the urban into small and big, metropolitan and non-metropolitan, unable to provide a comprehensive theory or concept to conceptualize activities and processes that coexist in binaries. Employing an ethnographic approach it discusses the ambiguous statistical criteria, infrastructural facilities, social and cultural dynamics, informality and illegality of Dharamshala. Building on this, the paper asserts that small towns and big cities have a lot of similarities in processes and activities, they may be different from each other at the level of size and scale. Drawing any kind of hierarchy among cities and towns that have the foundation in size (population and geographical) and scale (economies) and positioning them in 'subaltern' positions does not produce a comprehensive framework nor contribute to Southern urban theory but position small towns in between position of metropolitan's cities and urban theories. Noting such debates and discussions, the contribution opens a fresh perspective to study small towns beyond their size and scale and focuses on the processes and activities that contribute to an understanding of Indian urban transition, thereby expanding Southern urban theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is significant for measuring the strength of national and global economies in urban profiling areas. GDP is significant because it provides information on the size and performance of an economy. The real GDP growth rate is frequently used to indicate the economy's health. This paper proposes a new model called Pearson Correlation-Long Short-Term Memory-Recurrent Neural Network (PC-LSTM-RNN) for predicting GDP in urban profiling areas. Pearson correlation is used to select the important features strongly correlated with the target feature. This study employs two separate datasets, denoted as Dataset A and Dataset B. Dataset A comprises 227 instances and 20 features, with 70% utilized for training and 30% for testing purposes. On the other hand, Dataset B consists of 61 instances and 4 features, encompassing historical GDP growth data for India from 1961 to 2021. To enhance GDP prediction performance, we implement a parameter transfer approach, fine-tuning the parameters learned from Dataset A on Dataset B. Moreover, in this study, a preprocessing stage that includes median imputation and data normalization is performed. Mean Square Error, Mean Absolute Error, Root Mean Square Error, Mean Absolute Percentage Error, Median Absolute Error, and determination coefficient (R2) evaluation metrics are utilized in this study to demonstrate the performance of the proposed model. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed model gave better results than other regression models used in this study. Also, the results show that the proposed model achieved the highest results for R2, with 99.99%. This paper addresses a critical research gap in the domain of GDP prediction through artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. While acknowledging the widespread application of such algorithms in forecasting GDP, the proposed model introduces distinctive advantages over existing approaches. Using PC-LSTM-RNN which achieves high R2 with minimum error rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to design the least-cost delivery routes relating to the distribution of geotowns through the shortest distance matrix estimated by the multiple traveling salesman problems. We construct the initial distance matrix based on road distance considering all the nodes. Based on the adjacency matrix, we use the R package "sna" to calculate the different measures of centrality in the network. Next, we apply the traveling salesman problem to connect all the nodes at once for planning the trip in the proposed circuit. Finally, we use the Louvain community detection algorithm to cluster geotowns for better tourism planning and ease of travel. Based on the proposed geoheritage sites in Northeast India, the tourist spots may be organized and interconnected. This paper promotes and develops an approach to incorporating national geosites with national geoheritages and moves towards geoparks, keeping in view conservation measures of appropriate international impartial organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's evolving digital health strategy leverages innovative technologies to enhance access to healthcare services. This paper explores the key components of India's digital health transformation, including the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and India's integration of biometric identification and digital infrastructure to improve healthcare delivery. The lessons learned from India's large-scale implementation of digital health provide valuable insights for global health markets and digital transformations in healthcare systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has a large number of paper manufacturing units, with mills varying in size of operations and type of product, scattered all over the length and breadth of the country. Present study deals with the survey of four different pulp and paper mills (Mill A, Mill B, Mill C and Mill D) in India, differing in their scale of operation as well as raw material usage. Physico-chemical characterization of wastewaters produced by different processing units like digestor house liquors, bleaching section, paper machine backwaters, combined inlet to the ETP and outlet to ETP, for all the four mills, was conducted. Different parameters like pH, Color, COD, BOD, percent Na, SAR, TDS and Total hardness were analyzed and compared. Highly significant differences were thus found between all the processing units of all four mills with p values < 0.01. This evaluation showed that though these mills have effluent treatment facilities installed in their premises, improvements are still needed to increase their efficiencies for treating the discharged wastewaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper delves into the intricate domain of policy science, focusing on the policy-making process itself. Existing theoretical frameworks in policy science often overlook essential nuances, particularly the role of political willingness causing non-linearity in the policy-making process. Three fundamental questions drive the research at hand. First, the research delves into the adequacy of existing policy frameworks in effectively elucidating the complexities of policymaking in the context of large democracies, with a particular focus on India. Second, it investigates the significant role of political willingness in shaping the trajectory of policymaking, particularly within democratic systems. Lastly, the research aims to construct a comprehensive framework capable of accommodating and explaining the non-linear dynamics introduced by the influence of political willingness throughout the policy-making process. Through an analysis of India's Data Protection Regulation formulation process, this paper attempts to map the existing gap and way forward. As an outcome of the case study analysis, the proposed framework introduces political willingness as a central element extending the policy formulation cycle and showcases its influence on agenda setting, policy formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation. This research contributes to the field of policy science by providing a comprehensive framework that accounts for the complexities of policymaking, especially in the Indian context. By acknowledging the pivotal role of political willingness, this framework seeks to bridge the gap in existing theoretical models, offering a more holistic understanding of policy formulation and analysis. This research lays the foundation for a paradigm shift in the study of policy science, addressing the challenges posed by evolving governance mechanisms and the rising influence of political agendas in the modern world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper defines a new model for Takri touching text segmentation (T3S), which uses simpler statistical operations to locate exact segmentation column and generate faster results. An analysis of existing Indian scripts touching text segmentation techniques is also provided in the paper. The analysis inferred higher accuracies with recognition-based approaches which are computationally and time extensive and, work better with huge datasets. Also, most of these have been developed for headline Indian scripts only. The proposed T3S model provides significant segmentation accuracy using a statistical approach thus, generating faster results. Also, it works well with small datasets, which is feasible with the diverse ancient low-resource scripts of India like Takri. The model has been implemented on Takri text, a class of non-headline Indian regional scripts. Thus, it provides a benchmark algorithm for conducting further research in the field. A dataset of 1465 touching consonant pairs in printed Takri script is prepared using connected component segmentation for segmenting Takri text from the manually collected archival data in printed Takri script. The T3S technique is implemented on the dataset prepared and the results are critically analyzed with the existing Indian scripts touching text segmentation approaches, based on the accuracy achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A smart home energy management system plays an important role in improving the efficiency of an energy distribution system and also helps to reduce the carbon footprint of the power utility company. For a developing country like India, one of the main challenges faced while integrating an energy management system and renewable energy technology is the migration cost faced by the user from the existing system. The existing energy policy of the nation or the community should be reformed in such a way that the user who is willing to adapt to an energy management system should be properly rewarded. Smart appliances and IoT-enabled devices reduce wiring complexity in any conventional home and the smart metering facility aids in the bidirectional communication between consumers and utility companies. But how does it take care of user privacy? What are the reasons behind the user's negligence on-demand response schemes in India? Through a case study, it was observed that the power consumption of domestic consumers in India increased over the years. It was also observed through an energy survey of 200 low-tension domestic consumers that a simple reengineering of lighting loads can save up to 4.68 Megawatt-hour of energy in a year. The paper also identified the negative impact of the inclining block rate billing scheme by comparing the bimonthly energy consumption pattern of consumers and also proposed a new billing scheme. The paper also reviews the types of optimization methods available for load scheduling. This paper is an attempt to enlighten readers on the importance of adopting a sustainable home energy management system, as a socio-economic commitment towards a green future. Highlights: The connected loads in Indian homes are increasing day by day and so the electricity bill A smart green HEM system helps to reduce the carbon footprint Novel demand response programs policies should be formulated Harvesting renewable energy will have multiple applications in a home Dimming lighting loads considerably reduces usage cost [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lie-detection tests are traditionally carried out by well-trained experts using polygraph machines. However, it is time-consuming, invasive, and, overall, a cumbersome process, not admissible by the court of law. Trained individuals can easily flaunt these tests. On the other hand, facial thermal imaging could be more effective as it is noninvasive and could be a stealth method of tracking the facial blood flow patterns, which have been proven to detect deceit. This paper presents a method based on facial thermal imaging to detect deception in human subjects. The major issue in such research is the lack of proper real-life databases which emulate the crime scenes. In this paper, first, we have developed a database based on almost real-life theft incidents with due diligence using isolated subjects over a period of time at a government hospital under the plea of free health checkup. The experiment has been conducted at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital, West Bengal, India, with proper ethical committee approval. The participants are selected at the behest of the police department with habitual crime records. Most of them have been repeatedly charged with petty crimes of pick-pocketing and stealing. They are invited individually at different instances of time under the plea of medical checkup where they have been enticed to steal cash. It is followed by a two-stage process, a friendly interaction followed by a slightly tougher interrogation. Their forehead and periorbital region skin surface temperature are recorded by a hidden thermal camera. Upon analysis, conspicuous changes in the temperature profile and blood flow pattern have been observed in the individuals who stole money and those who did not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) chat programs has opened two distinct paths, one enhancing interaction and another potentially replacing personal understanding. Ethical and legal concerns arise due to the rapid development of these programs. This paper investigates academic discussions on AI in medicine, analyzing the context, frequency, and reasons behind these conversations. Methods: The study collected data from the Web of Science database on articles containing the keyword "ChatGPT" published from January to September 2023, resulting in 786 medically related journal articles. The inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed articles in English related to medicine. Results: The United States led in publications (38.1%), followed by India (15.5%) and China (7.0%). Keywords such as "patient" (16.7%), "research" (12%), and "performance" (10.6%) were prevalent. The Cureus Journal of Medical Science (11.8%) had the most publications, followed by the Annals of Biomedical Engineering (8.3%). August 2023 had the highest number of publications (29.3%), with significant growth between February to March and April to May. Medical General Internal (21.0%) was the most common category, followed by Surgery (15.4%) and Radiology (7.9%). Discussion: The prominence of India in ChatGPT research, despite lower research funding, indicates the platform's popularity and highlights the importance of monitoring its use for potential medical misinformation. China's interest in ChatGPT research suggests a focus on Natural Language Processing (NLP) AI applications, despite public bans on the platform. Cureus' success in publishing ChatGPT articles can be attributed to its open-access, rapid publication model. The study identifies research trends in plastic surgery, radiology, and obstetric gynecology, emphasizing the need for ethical considerations and reliability assessments in the application of ChatGPT in medical practice. Conclusion: ChatGPT's presence in medical literature is growing rapidly across various specialties, but concerns related to safety, privacy, and accuracy persist. More research is needed to assess its suitability for patient care and implications for non-medical use. Skepticism and thorough review of research are essential, as current studies may face retraction as more information emerges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the spatiality of cricket played over public grounds. The paper uses the concepts of space, place and sportscape (Appadurai in Playing the modernity: The decolonisation of Indian Cricket, University of Minnesota Press, 1995) to derive meanings of the way the game is played and experienced. The study is organised under three scales conceptualised as landscape, territory and anthropocentric levels which are interlinked to each other. Drawing insights from the geography of sports literature, the paper extends the boundaries of knowledge about cricket beyond historical and sociological studies of the sport. A combination of methods, namely, ethnographic observations, interviews and focused group discussions were employed to deduce the spatial connection of cricket to urban spaces in India. For this purpose, Nirankari Grounds in North Delhi has been selected as the study area. The location of Nirankari Grounds at the crossroads of a densely populated residential area and the University of Delhi makes it an important site for the study. The paper contributes to the study of geography by expanding the geographical understanding of the sport. At the same time, it attempts to fill in the gaps in literature in domain of sports geography by analysing spatial aspects of sports when the game is in play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-Help Groups (SHGs), the credit based voluntary groups in India are widely known for their potential to alleviate poverty and empower women. This research article explores a lesser-known theme. It tries to analyze the possibility of utilizing the current SHG model of the Indian Government to build and strengthen resilience of the SHG members in case of an external shock like financial stress, food insecurity, dispute in home for joining SHG, and difficulty to repay loan amidst lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article also focuses on their coping mechanisms and attitude towards these crises. By utilizing primary data collected from 320 SHG members in one of the aspirational districts in West Bengal, India, the present paper tries to fulfill its objective. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the problems faced by the SHG members by combining both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The findings reveal that from organizing vocational trainings to relaxing loan repayment, SHGs and its women members overcame various adversities with tenacity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the study findings, it is reasonable to conclude that the current SHG model in India presents a promising avenue for enhancing the resilience of its members in the face of external shocks. Article Highlights: Idiosyncratic stress like financial stress and systemic stress like the COVID-19 pandemic were ranked the top two crises faced by the SHG members. Recognizing financial stress and stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the top challenges faced by SHG members implies the need for immediate support (that includes access to financial resources, and assistance in adapting livelihood strategies to withstand external shocks), resilience-building efforts (by providing members with skills to diversify their income sources, creating emergency funds, and fostering community solidarity to collectively address crises), and policy attention (implementing policies that provide targeted assistance, such as social safety nets, healthcare access, and economic stimulus). The SHG members mostly had an active attitude towards the crises faced demonstrating their remarkable resilience and adaptive capacity. This highlights the most dominant role of SHGs in their ability to foster a sense of solidarity and collective problem-solving. Members often share experiences, skills, and resources, which can be invaluable during times of crisis. Additionally, the group dynamic encourages mutual support and encourages members to take proactive steps to address challenges rather than feeling overwhelmed by them. Moreover, participating in SHGs often empowers individuals to develop skills, build confidence, and access resources that enable them to better cope with crises. Thus, it implies the importance of community-based approaches like the SHGs to resilience-building. The primary role of SHGs in strengthening resilience among its members, particularly during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic was preventive measures (organizing COVID awareness programs), followed by promotional measures (organizing vocational trainings) and protective measures (distribution of food grains). By engaging in these preventive, promotional, and protective measures, SHGs bolstered the resilience of their members by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and resources to navigate challenges effectively. Overall, the implication is that SHGs have played a multifaceted role in supporting their members through the COVID-19 crisis, by focusing on prevention, promotion, and protection measures to enhance their resilience and mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic on their well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the intersection of regional geopolitics and the governance of transboundary rivers using the case studies of multipurpose reservoirs in Himalayan South Asia. It uncovers the various ways Indian hydrocracy uses its institutional and technical expertise to strengthen India's centrality in Nepal's water and hydropower sectors. The practices of security undertaken by the hydrocrats are classified as structural, institutional, and statutory acts. By focusing on practices of an epistemic community like hydrocrats, this paper addresses longstanding weaknesses of the securitisation theory of being elitist and ignoring the agency of mid-level bureaucrats. It also highlights the constructivist nature of international politics. The findings contribute empirically to securitisation theory's 'Paris School' of thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes to observe a day's break as the Planet Day (While the proposed day can also be named as the Gaia Day (after James Lovelock), Planet Day seems to be simpler and easier name for better understanding by the masses and greater connect of the issues with them. Hence, here the proposed day is termed as the Planet Day) every month to allow the nature to heal and ensure sustainability of the planet in the long run. Based on the concept of sustainable degrowth, the paper carries out benefit–cost analysis of the proposed Planet Day and presents a framework based on extensive literature review, secondary data analysis and stakeholders' (Here, participants are referred to as one of the "stakeholders" in the sense that every human being who lives on this planet is accountable for the harm done to it and is impacted by ecological degradation. Hence, they are supposed to contribute to healing of the nature through appropriate initiatives both individually and collectively. In addition to the common residents, there are other stakeholders of the ecology as well such as the government, the business enterprises, and manufacturing firms, etc.) perceptions through a non-random convenience sample survey. The paper finds that the net benefit from the Planet Day amounts to be USD 9002.37 billion across the world and USD 102.48 billion for India per annum. The respondents also perceive the proposed Planet Day as ecologically and economically beneficial and thus support the idea of healing time for the planet. However, a critical challenge is to take different stakeholders on board, ensure their active participation, and design appropriate institutional mechanisms for its successful implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burden of Influenza is significantly higher in developing countries as compared to developed countries, but the data on the disease burden is less well defined in most of the developing countries including India, and consequently, constraints evolving strategies for prioritization of measures to prevent and control it. The 'swine flu' or 'A(H1N1)' pandemic is on the wane but the virus continues to circulate causing sporadic outbreaks even in 2013. The A(H1N1)pdm09 has replaced the previous circulating seasonal A (H1N1) virus and acquired the status of a seasonal virus. Limited influenza activity is usually seen throughout the year in India with a clear peaking during the rainy season. The rainy season in the country lasts from June to August in all the regions except Tamil Nadu where it occurs from October to December. IAP recommends the ideal time for offering influenza vaccines is just before the onset of rainy season. The efficacy/effectiveness data of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines are also presented in different age groups and different categories of individuals. The IAP maintains its earlier recommendations of using the current trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in all children with risk factors but not as a universal measure. IAP has now prioritized different target groups for influenza vaccination based on contribution of the group to the overall influenza burden, disease severity, and vaccine effectiveness in different age groups and categories. The current trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines incorporate the 2009 pandemic strain also, hence avert the need of a separate 'A (H1N1)' vaccine. IAP stresses the need of more refined surveillance; large scale studies on effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccines in Indian children, and more effective, properly matched, highervalent influenza vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the inter-regional intra-industry disparity within selected Indian manufacturing industries and industrial states. The study uses three measures—the Output-Capital Ratio, the Capital-Labor Ratio, and the Output-Labor Ratio—to critically evaluate the level of disparity in average efficiency of labor and capital, as well as capital intensity. Additionally, the paper compares the rate of disparity of per capita income between six major industrial states. The study finds that underutilization of capacity is driven by an unequal distribution of high-skilled labor supply and upgraded technologies. To address these disparities, the paper suggests that policymakers campaign for labor training and technology promotion schemes throughout all regions of India. By doing so, the study argues, the country can reduce regional inequality and improve economic outcomes for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of poverty has bothered Indian economists, policymakers, and politicians alike. The rapid economic growth was unable to trickle down to the poorest which has led to the persistence of poverty both in urban and rural India even after 75 years of independence. Keeping this in view this paper has tried to examine the regional variations in the spatial pattern of incidence of urban poverty in India across 17 major states using data from the 28th and 68th NSS rounds. It also attempts to isolate the key determinants responsible for these variations. The objective of this paper is twofold; one is to bring out changes in the pattern of regional variations in urban poverty across 17 major states of India from 1973 to 74 to 2011–12 and the second is to identify the determinants responsible for these variations. The selection of regional units is based on the availability of comparable data as well as on theoretical considerations. For this study, therefore, we have considered each state as a single regional unit as they are home to largely homogeneous populations with common history and language, topography, institutions, and laws and at the same time each state is different from the other on account of unique factors. Therefore, interstate variations in this paper imply regional variations across 17 major Indian states. The results obtained through an instrumental variable estimation suggest that this effect is causal and is largely attributable to the positive spillovers of urbanization on the rural economy rather than to the movement of the rural poor to urban areas. Concerning the growth process, both urban–rural and sectoral (output) growth poverty relationships are suggestive of stronger intersectoral linkages in the economy, whereby growth in one sector transmits its gains elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a Structural Satellite version of the Financial-Macroeconometric Model of India (SSFMMI) to examine whether the surge in Nonperforming Assets (NPAs) in Indian Public Sector Banks (PSUs) post-2015 is due to macroeconomic shocks or better classification of loans and cleaning of bank balance sheets. Specifically, the paper analyses the impact of a rainfall shock, domestic food price shock, world oil price shock, fiscal shock, and monetary shock using counterfactual policy simulations and an out-of-sample forecasting framework to validate the impact of these macroeconomic shocks on NPA levels. The paper's outcomes suggest that the late surges in NPAs are not due to macroeconomic shocks and, therefore, that Indian banks are resilient to such shocks. However, the study reveals that the rise in domestic fuel prices and world food prices can cause a surge in NPAs levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to capture the missing 'distance' puzzle in the globalization process driven by trade flows. It is widely recognized that the growing global economic integration process play a major role in the spatial restructuring of many countries at varying geographical scales. The paper illustrates a model of international trade flows that builds upon existing research on the geographies of global trade. Empirical results of the current study indicate that the basic and augmented gravity model provides a useful framework for understanding international trade. The evidence of map pattern in residuals across temporal scale is noted. The results further indicate the importance of distance in the Indian context. An identification of the patterns and determinants of India's international trade with 87 countries suggests that potentially important differences in regional demands and country specific factors may impact the trade interaction over the years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of multiple currency based macroprudential tools by Reserve Bank of India, India's central bank, has helped create resilience in the economy, especially during financial turmoil. However, in a democratic set-up like India, the analysis of capital based macroprudential reforms needs to incorporate the political stability, as there is increasing evidence that macroprudential policy effectiveness is closely linked to political conditions. This study incorporates the role of political stability is understanding the effectiveness of currency based macroprudential policies, by using the years of election as a proxy for political uncertainty. I develop an index of capital based macroprudential policies (CMPP) using the notifications on capital flows and risk management guidelines on foreign exchange exposures from Reserve Bank of India. Using a GARCH model, the impact of CMPP on the net capital inflows is analyzed for the period from January, 1997 to March, 2018. I find that while the presence of CMPP leads to a fall in capital flow volatility, such policies in the years of election are ineffective in curbing capital flow volatility. The paper adds to the increasing evidence coming in recent years of the link between political cycles, interest groups and macroprudential policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Justification: Mumps, despite being a widely prevalent disease in the country, is considered as an insignificant public health problem mainly because of poor documentation of clinical cases and lack of published studies. In the absence of adequate published data on disease burden, Government of India has recently decided to introduce measles-rubella (MR) vaccine in its National Immunization Program and neglected mumps component. Process: Following an IAP ACVIP meeting on December 6 and 7, 2014, a detailed review of burden of mumps in India along with vaccination strategies to control the disease was prepared. The draft was circulated amongst the members of the committee for review and approval. Revised final draft was later approved by IAP executive board in January 2015. Objectives: To provide a review of community burden of mumps in India; and to discuss the vaccination strategies to impress upon policymakers to include mumps vaccination in National immunization program. Recommendations: A total of 14 studies and two media reports on mumps outbreak were retrieved. The outbreaks were reported from all the regions of the country. Mumps meningoencephalitis was responsible for 2.3% to 14.6% of all investigated hospitalized acute encephalitis syndrome or viral encephalitis cases in different studies. Data from Infectious Disease Surveillance (ID Surv) portal of IAP and Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) of Government of India (GoI) were also reviewed. While a total of 1052 cases were reported by the IDSurv, IDSP had investigated 72 outbreaks with 1564 cases in 14 states during different time periods. Genotypes G (subtype G2) and C were found to be main genotypes of the mumps virus circulating in the country. Three studies studied serological status of young children and adolescents against mumps, and found susceptibility rates ranging from 32% to 80% in different age groups. Conclusions: Mumps poses a significant disease burden in India. This calls for inclusion of mumps vaccine in the National immunization program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India houses the third biggest Muslim population in the world but over the years it has experienced massive segregation of people based on their religious identities. This large-scale forced and systemic 'ghettoization' of Muslims is a recent trend largely ascribed to the frequent communal' violence and state's negligence towards minorities. In this backdrop, the paper discusses the communal ghettoization of Muslims and uses the Juhapura area of Ahmedabad as illustration to explain the same. This study is essentially based on field observations and literature to comprehend communal tone of ghettoization process. Muslims in India are a minority (15 percent of total population) and suffer most in case riots occur. In the last few decades, following the 1985, 1992 and 2002 riots, Gujarat emerged as a hotbed of communal tension, forcing the Muslim population to migrate from their original locations and seek refuge in other parts of the state. Residents of these newly populated ghettos such as Juhapura are forced to endure these conditions due to fear, lack of choice and state apathy. These localities are largely ignored and lack all forms of socio-economic and physical infrastructure for a decent living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest fire is a major disturbance in mountainous ecosystems across the world. It impacts the composition, functioning, and structure of the forest ecosystem. Demographic pressure and the related climatic factors are thought to exacerbate the danger of forest fires, although there is a lack of statistical data to support this, particularly in South Asian countries with limited historical records. The study looks at how forest fires interact with their causative variables, such as population, topography, vegetation, and climate regimes, in the forests of Northern India. In order to do so, the paper presents a 15-year trend analysis of forest burn scars. This investigation confirmed the utility of principal component analysis using multisource spatial data and correlation matrices. The findings reveal that the occurrence and intensity of forest fires in mountainous locations are influenced by anthropogenic activities, forests near roads and settlements are extremely vulnerable. Based on the analysis, we emphasize the need for restructuring the existing policies like National Action Plan for forest fires and forest fire prevention and management scheme into more practical science-based policies. These findings may be utilized in planning effective fire control processes in time, and the technique provided in this study may be used to discover potential fire-risk zones in other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling surface water quality has become crucial in providing better strategies for managing surface water resources, and adequate findings need accurate and geographically dispersed data. Hydrogeological modeling of these data sets is possible using empirically-based models. The other statistical models are also an alternative approach. In this study, a process with maximum probability is considered with the help of machine learning tools (MLT) to have optimized and valid output. The proposed method combines remote sensing and geographic information systems (RS and GIS) and MLT, which are appropriate for the predicament of neither small, large scale, nor long-term simulations. MLT methods such as VAR and ARIMA are developed in the Python programming with Jupyter notebook and tested according to the data in the spatial prediction for surface water quality parameters such as Tr, pH, Ec, TDS, AL, Ca++, NO−3, So, Cl, F−, Fe, and Mg2+ in the Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India—lower delta part. The delta with susceptible zones was identified using RS and GIS as those areas are prone to direct exposure to surface water contaminants from aquaculture, agricultural runoff, small- and medium-scale businesses, and household trash. Achieving effective surface water management for this ecosystem is critical for regional water management. The geographical information about the concentrations acquired via the RS and GIS was compared to the statistical modeling findings and verified using real-time measurements. MLT modeling seems more realistic than the experimental setting; data from the previous 20 years (2000–2020) were used for modeling, and the predicted values presented in the paper are predicted for the year 2021. The computed R2 value of ranges between 0.75 and 0.96% is recorded with ARIMA, and VAR posted range between 0.56 and 0.75% with the trained and tested data. The findings show the potential for MLT of geographically dispersed hydrogeological data to be used for pollution-free surface water management. From the surface water management perspective, combining RS and GIS and MLT offers an alternate data analysis approach for obtaining quick results utilizing a less laborious process that produces acceptable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measles continues to be a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in India. Recent studies estimate that 80,000 Indian children die each year due to measles and its complications, amounting to 4% of under-5 deaths. Immunization against measles directly contributes to the reduction of under-five child mortality and hence to the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4). The live attenuated measles vaccines are safe, effective and provide long-lasting protection. The key strategies being followed globally for measles mortality reduction are high coverage of measles first dose, sensitive laboratory supported surveillance, appropriate case management, and providing second dose of measles vaccine. Prior to 2010, India was the only country in the world that had not introduced a second dose of measles vaccine in its National immunization program. We herein discuss the current status of measles vaccination along with the rationale and challenges of providing a second opportunity for measles vaccination, and the principles of measles catch-up campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]